Politics in 2016

[Jarnhamar]

MyDemocracy.ca seems like a fun way to not answer whether or not you want to change the Canadian voting system. Sounds almost like picking a dungeons and dragons character class.

I got level 10 guardian  :knights:

This week, the federal government channelled Cosmopolitan with the launch of MyDemocracy.ca. Instead of a “What’s your sex style?” quiz, however, Canadians got to determine their “democracy style”—whether they’re “innovators,” “co-operators,” “pragmatists,” “challengers” or “guardians,” each described like a horoscope, but with less science.

The farcical project, billed as “an innovative way to join the national conversation on electoral reform,” is neither interactive nor focused on electoral reform: participants aren’t even asked which voting system they’d prefer. How the information will be marshalled is unknown. Backlash, in the House of Commons and on social media, was swift.

The reaction isn’t only to Liberal backtracking on a topic in equal parts glaze-inducing, fractious and vital. The episode also appears to mark a tipping point in Justin Trudeau’s avatar as the nation’s progressive, swoon-worthy boyfriend. Suddenly, he’s the guy who orders for his date without asking what she wants then ignores her ensuing protest.

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/justin-trudeau-is-just-not-that-into-you/

 

[PuckChaser]

MyDemocracy.ca seems like a fun way to not answer whether or not you want to change the Canadian voting system. Sounds almost like picking a dungeons and dragons character class.

I got level 10 guardian  :knights:

I ended up with a 100 Charisma Bard with 0 intelligence. Was promptly emailed by the President of the Liberal Party of Canada asking if I was interested in being their next leader.

 

[CountDC]

The daylight is shorter so you use more lights, your furnace runs more and the fan motor draws more power, much of that in the higher priced peak usage periods. I'm lucky (?????) because my pool pump in the summer balances out the bills through the year. No big winter shocks that way

:subbies:

Except as I mentioned we were out most of the time so were using less lights and heat. In fact we have noted that even after the change over we do not use any more lights than before. Even if we didn't turn down the furnace which we did the fan motor would hardly account for anywhere near the increase of a few hundred dollars.

 

[FJAG]

Except as I mentioned we were out most of the time so were using less lights and heat. In fact we have noted that even after the change over we do not use any more lights than before. Even if we didn't turn down the furnace which we did the fan motor would hardly account for anywhere near the increase of a few hundred dollars.

Far be it for me to defend the cockamamie hydro system here in Ontario but I don't think that the rates have changed since January 1st at which time we lost the Ontario Clean Energy Benefit and had the Ontario Electricity Support Program charge added. The one thing is that the Time-of-use rates do change from summer to winter structure on Nov 1st making the morning and evening rates more expensive. You might want to check if the previous bills were estimates and whether there was a "catch up" on an actual reading. I tend to follow my bills month to month to see if there are any significant changes to my usage, delivery and other charges components. The bills are fairly granular in providing you details on all of the components on your bill.

:subbies:

 

[Jarnhamar]

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/canada/canadian-politics/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/money-began-to-rain-on-trudeau-foundation-once-justin-took-over-liberals-analysis-shows

  Money began to rain on Trudeau Foundation once Justin took over Liberals, analysis shows

Lots of foreign donations to the Clinton   Trudeau foundation.  I'm sure it's out of a sense of philanthropy and not trying to gain political favor.  It's not like the liberals put an actual price tag on sitting down to talk with them.

 

[Lightguns]

MyDemocracy.ca seems like a fun way to not answer whether or not you want to change the Canadian voting system. Sounds almost like picking a dungeons and dragons character class.

I got level 10 guardian  :knights:

http://www.macleans.ca/politics/justin-trudeau-is-just-not-that-into-you/

Guy I know on twitter is the farthest you can get to into the Guardian spectrum.  He is a mucho libertarian.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Okay so I was wrong about liberals not putting a price tag on sitting to talk with them,  however,  I believe Trudeau when he says he only has Canada's best interest in mind.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged Monday that people lobby him at Liberal Party cash-for-access fundraisers, but said he ultimately makes up his own mind on what is good for Canada.

It is the first time the Prime Minister has admitted that government business is being discussed at partisan Liberal money-raising events. This activity runs contrary to the very rules the Liberal Party made public earlier this year where it said government business is not discussed at pay-to-play fundraisers.

He's allowed to change his story, it's not like he's under oath or anytning.


https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/trudeau-says-hes-lobbied-but-not-influenced-at-liberal-fundraisers/article33297922/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&service=mobile

 

[FJAG]

Okay so I was wrong about liberals not putting a price tag on sitting to talk with them,  however,  I believe Trudeau when he says he only has Canada's best interest in mind. 
He's allowed to change his story, it's not like he's under oath or anytning.


https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/trudeau-says-hes-lobbied-but-not-influenced-at-liberal-fundraisers/article33297922/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&service=mobile

Lying under oath is perjury; lying when not under oath is still lying.

:subbies:

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

For a person in a position of power to place himself/herself in a situation where the only way to know whether they were influenced or not in their decision process is to rely on their own unproven/undisprovable statement that they were not,  is the very definition of "appearance of conflict of interest". (When you can demonstrate they were influenced, it is an actual conflict of interest, or even worse).

To do so after that person has been the very one stating that under no circumstances would they put themselves in such a position is not only lying and dishonest, it automatically casts an even bigger shadow on the credibility to be afforded their statement that "they were not influenced".

 

[GAP]

Ah, but a proof is a proof......etc

 

[Jarnhamar]

Womyns got a right to renovate. 

http://www.therebel.media/liberal_status_of_women_minister_has_right_to_spend_1_1m_on_new_office

Patty Hajdu, Minister of the Status of Women, has decided that instead of renovating a building where her department is located, she’ll spend $1.1 million building a new office suite.

I'm not too sure what a minister for the status of women does anyways but she's sure going to be comfortable doing it.  Good for her.

 

[Lightguns]

We are banning off shore Oil and Gas in the Arctic.  Justin making more friends in wrong places. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/12/20/trudeau-obama-arctic_n_13751712.html

Can't find the article but someone forgot to ask the NWT Premier on his thoughts, he shared them anyway after the fact.  I guess he and his territorial government are livid as their economic strategy is built around an "Arctic Gateway" for oil and gas. 

 

[The Bread Guy]

Womyns got a right to renovate. 

http://www.therebel.media/liberal_status_of_women_minister_has_right_to_spend_1_1m_on_new_office

I'm not too sure what a minister for the status of women does anyways but she's sure going to be comfortable doing it.  Good for her.

What the story doesn't say is that the cheaper renovation was for an office @ Canadian Heritage, while this one was for an office where department staff are located*, putting the Minister in the same building as ... the ministry staff doing the work.

The money remains big, and the "Daddy Warbucks" optics remain the same, but it's interesting to see what information some media ignore edit for space to make their point.

* - And before the "HuffPo=Liberal shills=fake news=spawn of the devil incarnate" countercommentary begins, the story is a Canadian Press story based on documents CP obtained via ATIP.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Hajdu chose to have the new offices built instead of renovating a space at the building housing Canadian Heritage, the department that contains the Status of Women Canada agency within its portfolio, the documents indicate.

That option would have cost about $400,000, with a much earlier completion date and a location directly across the street, but emails suggest it was never seriously considered.

I had a boss who was a one minute walk down a hallway and they still emailed me for everything including small talk. 
I doubt moving her office across the street will really impact effiency.  Besides isn't the article saying the building she's in already dedicated to the agency that the status of women is under? 


The minister didn't care about public criticism or where the money was even going to come from -  seems about right for liberals in government these days doesn't it?

 

[The Bread Guy]

I had a boss who was a one minute walk down a hallway and they still emailed me for everything including small talk. 
I doubt moving her office across the street will really impact effiency.

Then you know how ... empowering it is to be managed by email  ;D (And I do know how that feels.)

Besides isn't the article saying the building she's in already dedicated to the agency that the status of women is under?

There's ministerial staff there, but the worker bees delivering the program are in the other site.  Not a perfect parallel, but is the battalion commander best based with the battalion, or at brigade HQ?

The minister didn't care about public criticism or where the money was even going to come from -  seems about right for liberals in government these days doesn't it?

Don't get me wrong:  I think she could have saved the money and stayed where she was.  I just threw in the extra info to let folks make a more informed decision on whether they agree/disagree with her move.

Funny, though, how one man's "doesn't care about public criticism" and "using their majority to just do what they want" can be another man's "doing what they think is right" and "leading and not necessarily just following the herd" ...

 

[Loachman]

I've watched a few of this woman's videos:

Body Language: Justin Trudeau https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJbLTkdcaFA

 

[Jarnhamar]

I kind of thought the $1500 a pop was low.

Sounds like there's a couple hidden fees.

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/cash-for-access-organizers-sought-payments-that-exceeded-federal-contribution-limits/article33409043/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&service=mobile

Members of the Chinese community have been asked for payments of as much as $5,000 to attend private cash-for-access functions with the Prime Minister, amounts that exceed federal contribution limits.

As part of an ongoing review of fundraising activities by the Liberal Party of Canada, The Globe and Mail spoke with invitees who described requests that suggest significant discrepancies between official ticket prices and the actual cost of entry.

 

[PuckChaser]

A couple of illegal hidden fees.

 

[Kirkhill]

...

* - And before the "HuffPo=Liberal shills=fake news=spawn of the devil incarnate" countercommentary begins, the story is a Canadian Press story based on documents CP obtained via ATIP.

And that's supposed to make us feel better?  > >

 

[The Bread Guy]

And that's supposed to make us feel better?  > >

Only just a titch ...  ;D